1. Field of the Invention
It is known that rapid prototype modeling equipment utilize a planarizer to smooth the surface of the object being made by the prototyping method.
2. Description of the Art of Practices
It is known that materials may be melted and re-solidified in order to form solid objects such as in the field of rapid-prototype modeling. The present invention deals with rapid prototype modeling, in particular, with an efficient manner for melting the materials utilized to form the model and to evenly distribute the materials.
Rapid prototyping modeling typically operates by utilizing an ink jet to lay down a thin layer of material as a liquid on a part platform. Computer programs determine the shape of the object to be formed and such cross-sectional data in the program ultimately defines the shape of the object.
In order to ensure that thin layers are formed and that excess material does not build up, a planarizer is utilized to level the surface of the object being built. An element of the planarizer is a roller which effectively evens out the surface of the object to a single layer upon each pass of the ink jet heads utilized to form the object.
Patent Cooperation Treaty Application WO 97/11835 published on Apr. 3, 1997, by Earl, et al. discloses equipment utilizing a planarizer. The disclosure of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application WO 97/11835 is herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention describes a hot melt machine for building a part from a material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said part platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a desired part and a phantom part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the desired part and the phantom part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines where the phantom part should be located on said part platform to effect substantial wefting along the length of said roller.
The present invention also describes a hot melt machine for building a part from a material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said part platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a first desired part and at least one second desired part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the first desired part and the second desired part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines the positioning of the first desired part and the positioning of at least one second desired part on said part platform to effect substantial wetting along the length of said roller when the first desired part and the at least one second desired part are built simultaneously.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention describes a hot melt machine for building a part from a material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said part platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a first desired part and at least one second desired part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the first desired part and the second desired part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines the positioning of the first desired part and the positioning of at least one second desired part on said part platform to effect substantial wetting along the length of said roller when the first desired part and the at least one second desired part are built sequentially.
Yet still another embodiment of the present invention is a method for building a part on a hot melt machine from a hot melt material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a desired part and a phantom part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the desired part and the phantom part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines where the phantom part should be located on said part platform to effect substantial wetting along the length of said roller.
A further feature of the present invention is a method for building a part on a hot melt machine from a hot melt material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said part platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a first desired part and at least one second desired part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the first desired part and the second desired part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines the positioning of the first desired part and the positioning of at least one second desired part on said part platform to effect substantial wetting along the length of said roller when the first desired part and the at least one second desired part are built simultaneously.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for building a part on a hot melt machine from a hot melt material wherein the hot melt machine comprises, a part platform, a blade having a length and a width, and a roller having a length and a width, for when in use said roller removes excess material from the part being built on said part platform and said blade removes material from said roller, the improvement therein comprising building a first desired part and at least one second desired part on said part platform such that said roller takes up excess material from the first desired part and the second desired part substantially along the length of said roller, wherein an operator determines the positioning of the first desired part and the positioning of at least one second desired part on said part platform to effect substantial wetting along the length of said roller when the first desired part and the at least one second desired part are built sequentially.